1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is in the field of container covers. More particularly it concerns doors in combination with pressurized vessels utilizing an inflatable sealing means.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Static seals are traditionally carried and disposed between the container face and door. In a pressurized vessel, the strength of the locking mechanism and the shape and weight of the door determines air tightness of the static seal. In the development of the art to date, inflatable seals are arranged in the same fashion as the static seals they replaced. Therefore, the weight and shape limitations of the door remain.
Hemispherical doors have been used on pressurized vessels because of their ability to withstand greater pressure than flat ribbed doors of comparable size. The invention encompasses the cooperation between a flange on the inner surface of a hemispherical door and an inflatable seal. The invention incorporates a light weight transportable sterilizer designed for use by a field army. This invention adequately seals without requiring the massive dimensionally stable configurations used in the classical statically sealed sterilizer door.